The Jerusalem Post | Knesset Christian Allies Caucus to present awards at annual dinner

“The Jewish return to Israel is undeniable evidence that the Bible is true,” declared Dr. Robert Mawire, in a conversation with The Jerusalem Post.

Mawire is a Christian Zionist activist who is one of two men to be awarded with a lifetime achievement award from The World Jewish Congress and Knesset Christian Allies Caucus at its eleventh annual reception honoring Christian leaders on Wednesday night.

Mawire is an author, pastor and broadcaster, who over many years has sought to create a groundswell of support for the Jewish state amongst Christians in the US, Africa, and around the world.

The pastor is unable to travel to Israel to receive the award due to an illness, and his award will be accepted on his behalf by his son.

In 1997, he was approached by the mayor of the Ariel settlement, Ron Nachman, to help him build the city and to show Christians their roots in Israel, tasks to which Mawire warmed quickly.

In particular, Mawire says he was brought to action when he came to Israel that year for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who challenged him as to what Christians were doing to help the Jewish state.

“Back then, no one wanted to hear about embracing the Jewish people, so Ron and I traveled across America and the world, talking about the fact that the Bible is a Jewish book and talks about a Jewish messiah,” said Mawire.

“Our message was ‘How could you love Jewish ancestors and not their descendants?’” As well as promoting Christian Zionism, Mawire also helped Nachman boost Ariel, helping him bring Russian Jews and others from the Diaspora to live there.

He also assisted in the creation of the Barkan Industrial Zone just outside Ariel.

“We believe that when the Bible says that Jews will be carried on the shoulders of gentiles to the Land of Israel that it is a Christian duty to do this. We believe we’re preaching prophesy and making prophesy come true,” said Mawire.

The pastor says that the idea of engaging Christians in an effort to fulfill a Biblical prophecy has an electrifying effect that can generate massive levels of support for Israel from Christians around the world.

“When I show them that this is a Biblical issue not a political one then Christians get extremely excited and want to do something and they then trust the Bible and not the UN.”

The other honoree will be Cary Summers, who will be awarded the “Night to Honor our Christian Allies Tourism Award” for his work, together with the Philos Project, which helped establish the Passages program that provides subsidized trips to Israel for the next generation of Christian leaders.

During these trips, participants get to experience Israel, engage with the roots of Christianity in the country, and return to the US with tools to serve as informed voices for their Christian faith and for the State of Israel.

Summers also serves as president of the Museum of the Bible, a global, educational initiative based in Washington DC which seeks to engage people of different backgrounds and religions with the Bible and learn about its impact on the world today.

“This is a truly moving moment to be honored by a state and a people which I love so dearly. I have visited Israel over a hundred times and each time it feels like I’m coming home,” declared Summers.

“I hope that programs such as Passages will continue to build deep and long-lasting connections between the State of Israel and the next generation of American Christians,” he said.

Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel will deliver the keynote address at the event, while other speakers will include Knesset Christian Allies Caucus chairman and Yisrael Beytenu MK Robert Ilatov.